Sawhorses are often used for supporting items on which some work is being performed. For example, lumber that is being cut, or relatively large pieces which require some pre-assembly before installation, such as doors to which hinges are being added, are generally placed on sawhorses which have been arranged to support the work.
In general, a sawhorse has a central beam mounted at each end on inverted V-shaped support members. There are variations on this central theme; however, few changes have been made to the general design.
Sawhorses may be permanently secured together, i.e., the beam is nailed to the supports, or they may be of a modular design, such as those in which the beam is received in slots formed at the apex of the inverted support member. In either case the sawhorses normally take up much space in transporting the materials to the jobsite, but the space must be provided because the sawhorse is a very necessary tool. In some cases, more than one trip may be required just to transport materials, greatly increasing the time and costs required for a particular job.